Faculty have a teaching obligation that they meet each year. If they teach more than their yearly obligated amount, they bank credits that can be exchanged in lieu of teaching at a later date. The system to track this is in Salesforce, where data and reports are viewable by Deans, Chairs, and Admin Assistants. Faculty receive their current and projected banked credit numbers via emails sent at the end of each semester. This document explains the definitions and concepts used in this system.
Obligation
Teaching Obligation represents the amount of teaching that faculty need to complete each year. The default amount of obligation is 3 per year, but can be less depending on their situation or contract. Carrying out certain service activities reduces the amount of obligation within a period of time (see Academic Service below).
Academic Service
Academic Services are service roles that have a time duration, such as serving as a department chair, dean, or on the ILR Review as an Associate Editor. Academic Services reduce the yearly Obligation by varying amounts, depending on the type of service. Academic Services occur over a period of time, and generate the obligation reduction for each year of the service. Note that not all Academic Services generate credit and are just included for reporting, and some may be unique to specific situations.
Teaching Activities
Teaching Activities are semester-long activities (usually teaching classes) that generate credits toward meeting Obligation. When the amount of teaching exceeds the Obligation for the year, any additional credits are banked and can be spent in the future. Teaching activities also include sabbaticals and leaves.
Contacts
A Contact is a Salesforce term for people. In the context of the course banking system, they are faculty who are eligible to bank courses.
Banked Credits
Banked Credits are the credits available to faculty to use in lieu of teaching. The maximum amount of banked credits that faculty can have without approval from the Dean is 4. Banked Credits are derived as follows:
- All applicable Academic Services are totaled and subtracted from the Obligation amount.
- All Teaching Activities are totaled and subtracted from the adjusted Obligation.
- If the Teaching Credits are more than the Obligation, those credits are banked.
- Banked credits can be spent, which reduces the banked credit amount.
- If more than 4 credits would be banked that excess amount is tracked, but is not added to the banked credits unless approved by the dean.
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